Our Westside community has recently celebrated the lives of two members who have been an essential part of our founding, history, and every Sunday experience here for the past several decades. Bill Calhoun, an honored founding member, guided Westside from its formation. Mary Donovan is most notably known and beloved by Westsiders for her role in music here, including playing the piano for the services. As we gathered together to remember them and their impact on our individual and community life, Westside once again revealed its heart.
The wonderful response from our congregation to provide all the needed comforts for a memorial service is a thing to behold! We had so many people step up and volunteer to provide food, to help with set up and clean up, to be available for anything that would be needed during the services, even as they themselves were holding their own relationship to loss. Even people who couldn’t attend the service brought donations of food or offered to help as needed before or after.
Both services turned out to be a wonderful tribute to Bill and Mary as well as a magnificent testament to the character of Westside. I know it’s cliché, but these trying times really do bring out the best in us. And Westside showed up with “Warm Hearts-Open Minds-Caring Hands” to be of service to the families and loved ones of our own dear friends.
While the list of volunteers and contributors would be a long one and likely incomplete from my vantage point, suffice it to say, “Thank You” to all of you who have done acts of great or small proportion. As a collective effort, they added up to incredibly meaningful offerings. Please know you are all appreciated. Your generous actions made a difference. We all value your contributions.
Thank you for carrying on the sentiment and spirit of Bill and Mary’s service to Westside in all you do!
Bill Calhoun (L) and Mary Donovan, years before their time at Westside.
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